Navy Commander Tang Hua (唐華) is to visit the US from next week to attend a military ceremony and discuss how to boost bilateral naval cooperation as China raises threats toward the nation, six people briefed on the trip said.
The security sources said that Tang would visit Hawaii, home of the US Indo-Pacific Command, for a Pacific Fleet change-of-command ceremony.
Three of them said that Tang was then expected to attend the April 8 to 10 Sea-Air-Space conference near Washington and that talks were under way to arrange a meeting with US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
The sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity given the trip’s sensitivity.
Two of the sources said that Tang’s visit is part of a US effort, called the Joint Island Defense Concept, to coordinate with Taiwan, Japan and others to counter China’s armed forces within the “first island chain” — a string enclosing China’s coastal seas that connects Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Borneo, an island split between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
Taiwan and the US are trying to line up a Tang-Franchetti meeting, which has not been confirmed, said one source, a US official.
Taiwan’s navy and the Pentagon declined to comment.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it firmly opposed “military collusion” between the US and Taiwan, and that Washington should “refrain from sending out any erroneous signal to the forces of secession for the independence of Taiwan.”
Unlike visits to the US by senior officials from allies such as Japan and the UK, conducted openly, those of Taiwanese officials, especially military, are kept low key and often not officially confirmed.
Washington and Taipei have had no official diplomatic or military ties since 1979, when the US switched recognition to Beijing, although the US is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.
China has not renounced the use of force to take Taiwan.
Taiwan’s navy is dwarfed by that of China, which is adding nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.
Under a modernization effort that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has overseen, Taiwan is developing its own submarines, the first unveiled last year.
Without fanfare, Taiwan and the US have expanded their military cooperation since Tsai took office in 2016, especially since China began ramping up military pressure over the past four years.
Beijing now regularly sends fighter jets over the median line of the Taiwan Strait that once served as an unofficial barrier.
Previous trips by senior Taiwanese officers to the US have included then-navy chief Lee Hsi-ming (李喜明) in 2015 and Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞), who last year attended a Taiwan-US defense industry conference in Virginia.
Taiwan typically holds annual security talks in the US, which neither government officially confirms. Last year they were attended by the minister of foreign affairs and the head of the National Security Council, Taiwanese media reported.
Tang on Tuesday accompanied Tsai to a naval base in Yilan County for a handover ceremony for two new Tuo Chiang-class corvette warships, which Taiwan’s navy calls “carrier killers” for their high maneuverability, stealthiness and anti-ship missiles.
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology
RSS